Because of You
by yellowstar
Summary: SPD One ranger is not looking forward to the upcoming Parents Weekend. What secrets is she holding back? Please Review!
1. Monday

Because of you

Disclaimer: They're not mine. So sad…

Summary: One ranger is not looking forward to the upcoming Parents Weekend. What secrets is she holding back? Please Review!

Monday

"There are many preparations to be done for the upcoming Parents Weekend here at SPD." Commander Cruger announced to the enthusiastic crowd of cadets.

It was an annual tradition, much like Homecoming where the families of the cadets would come and visit their children and/or siblings. It was a highly anticipated weekend because of the nature of their work and long hours they rarely had time off to go visit their loved ones.

However, one cadet was not excited. Miserable would better describe her mood. In fact, Sydney Drew was dreading the approaching weekend. Not that she begrudged everyone else their happiness; she just didn't share in it. All around her was the buzz of ecstatic cadets making plans with fellow teammates on how to spend the weekend. Not even the thought of a new dress for the party on Saturday could lift her spirits. Sydney knew what no one else did. Her parents weren't coming. Sure they were invited, as they had been the last few years; and it wasn't that they couldn't come; it was that they wouldn't come.

Last year she had pleaded out of the weekend by pretending to go visit her parents, who were "always traveling". At least that's what Syd told everyone. Besides last year she hadn't been so close to Sky and Bridge or known Z and Jack so no one had questioned her. This year Sydney knew she wouldn't be so lucky. Her roommate could read her like a book, and if Bridge got a reading on the turbulent emotions flowing through her, he would stop at nothing to find out what was bothering her.

Pretending to be the SPD princess was easier than telling them the truth. What if they found her unlovable too? Syd couldn't bear more rejection, so she hid behind her princess façade. Sometimes she played the part so well she even fooled herself into forgetting her problems. But at night, the past would always come roaring back.

She remembered with startling clarity the night her family had fallen apart. It had been broken for a while, but this was the night her life changed forever. Her mom had been working late again, leaving Syd and her dad to cook dinner. Her father had been unusually moody that night, snapping at her for no reason. Mr. Drew tucked in the eight year old and waited for his wife to come home.

"Sorry I'm late." Mrs. Drew announced as she breezed through the door with a grace she passed onto her daughter.

"Same song, different day." Muttered her father. "Damn it, we deserve better than this." He shouted angrily. "We need you Ana, I need a wife and Sydney needs a mother." Jonathan declared pacing the kitchen.

"The lab needs me." Ana Drew protested wearily. They had been having the same argument for the last few months.

"You don't need to work." Jonathan reminded her rudely. "I make enough money so you can stay at home with Sydney." His words carried upstairs to where eight-year-old Sydney sat stunned at the top of the stairs. She had heard her parents fight before but not like this.

"What about what my career? What about what I want?" Ana shouted furiously. "You can't tell me what to do Jonathan." She cried out slamming her hand on the counter in frustration.

"Maybe not." He conceded with an eerie calm. "But I will not let you drag our daughter into your lab for more testing and experimentation." He remarked.

"This is ground breaking science Jon, the future depends on it." Ana tried to convince for the millionth time to see her viewpoint. "Why can't you see that?"

"What I see is you and the other lab rats turning our daughter into a freak. I'm thinking about Sydney's future here." Was his harsh reply.

"Sydney's future or your own?" Ana retorted venomously. "Are you ashamed of what your daughter is and who she could become?"

"I don't care what she becomes as long as she isn't like you!" screamed Jonathan Drew.

Tense silence stretched between the couple. "Apparently the lab needs you more than we do." Jonathan explained. "So don't bother coming back after work tomorrow." He declared with a sigh. He left the kitchen and his soon to be ex-wife behind. His parting words, "We'll be fine without you." Broke his daughter's heart as she raced back to her bedroom before she was discovered.

Suddenly all was quiet as Sydney realized that they had been dismissed and she was the only one left. Shaking her thoughts away, she went to find her teammates for lunch.

Syd was quiet all through lunch as the other four rangers eagerly discussed plans for the coming weekend. Z noticed that the usually upbeat pink ranger was quiet but before she could question her roommate Commander Cruger came in.

"I'm going to need your help with preparations for the weekend." He announced to the B-squad. This was one assignment they were all looking forward to. "First off, who wants to be in charge of decorations?" He queried the group.

Four voices answered together. "Syd." They agreed unanimously with a laugh. Syd was the unofficial party planner of the whole of SPD. Birthday parties, holiday parties, and celebrations were her expertise. Everyone who attended one of Syd's parties were never disappointed, as everyone always had a great time.

The girl in question raised her head at the nomination. Slowly her hand raised in the air. "With all due respect sir, I wish to decline from that assignment." She said quietly, refusing to look her teammates in the eye, knowing they were staring at her in confusion.

"Very well." The commander conceded, not noticing anything was wrong. "Do you have another preference?" He asked kindly. "Hospitality." Syd replied hopefully.

"That can be arranged." Doggie assured her as he continued on with the organization. "So who will be in charge of decorations?" He asked again.

"My duplicates and I will have it done in no time." Z volunteered quickly.

"I'll be in charge of food sir." Bridge declared eagerly. "I'll help." Sky offered. "Otherwise we will all be eating toast all weekend." He teased his butter-loving friend.

"Jack, you will help me rearrange schedules for the weekend." Commander delegated the red ranger. "Yes sir." He complied easily. He would agree to anything given that they would have a few days off and the chance to visit with family.

Commander Cruger left the rangers to their planning. Sydney excused herself not far behind. "I'm going for a walk." She stated softly, pushing away from the table, leaving her near full plate of lunch behind.

"That was weird." Sky Tate waited to declare until after the pink ranger had faded from view.

"Yeah, no one likes a party more than Syd." Z agreed thoughtfully.

"She's only planned the last 13 parties we've had here." Bridge added, troubled at her reluctance to be involved.

"It's like she wants nothing to do with it." Jack observed. They didn't dwell on Sydney's mood for long, as their own excitement over the weekend once again became the focus of conversation.

She wondered outside out to the training field where no one would expect to find her.

The images of earlier in the day replayed in Sydney's head. She remembered spending all of the next day waiting for her mom to come home, but she never did. She would spend nights crying in her room wondering why her mom didn't love her enough to stay.

Tears slipped down her face as she relived the pain of ten years ago. Her parent's divorce had been quick, but not without much pain. It had broken Sydney's tender heart to lose her mother, as she was not permitted visits or contact by the judge. She still had her father and became close to him as the pain started to fade. But birthdays were especially hard on her, when the pain of missing her mom on big milestones like becoming thirteen, going to high school, or having her sweet sixteen threatened to overcome the joyous occasions.

Despite the divorce Sydney considered herself lucky, she had a good relationship with her father, a lot of friends and a normal life. All that changed right before her junior year in high school when a brochure from the SPD academy arrived.

"What is this?" bellowed her father's voice; so angry it brought back memories of the night her mom had left. He found her in the living room eating dinner in front of the TV, like she usually did, as he often worked late with his new job as chief of police. He held the brochure in the air and waited for an explanation.

"I was curious." Sydney shrugged. "Mom used to be a ranger, I wanted to see what she did."

"We don't talk about her." Jonathan said forcefully. This time Sydney would not be intimidated. She was a young girl desperate for the influence of a mother and she would not be stopped in her quest to know her.

"She's my mother." Sydney insisted. " I have every right to know about her." She said, standing her ground.

"Have it your way." He muttered, as he began to share the truth he had with held from his daughter for years. "Your mother didn't love either of us enough to take care of us. She was always at work at the lab at SPD. She was so caught up in the future she neglected what she had."

"Is that why you told her not to come home?" Sydney wondered softly. Jonathan looked up at her admission.

"I just wanted you to have a normal life." He pleaded with her to understand, hating the sadness he saw in her eyes. He was afraid he was going to lose her too.

"I wanted my mother!" Sydney shouted. "How could you keep her from me? How dare you!" She wanted to hit him, cause him pain for the grief he had caused her. She broke into sobs and stormed up to her room, slamming her door behind her.

The bell rang for dinner startling Sydney out of her thoughts. The afternoon had flown by without her knowing it. She realized she was emotionally exhausted and passed on dinner, hoping instead to catch a nap.

She sought refuge in her comfortable bed, while one question kept running through her mind. 'Why had her mother never tried to contact her? Maybe, she didn't love me." She thought miserably as tears fell from her eyes.

"Where's Syd?" asked a curious Sky Tate as he sat down for dinner. The day had been weirdly absent of any criminal activity, giving the rangers some well enjoyed down time.

"I haven't seen her all day." Z remarked, suddenly realizing how strange that was. The social butterfly that was Sydney was not given to moments of wanting to be alone. She loved to be around people at all times. And people loved to be around her. She had a charm that drew people to her, even if you had no intention of doing so. Sky for example was the prototypical stoic male, and even he wasn't immune to Sydney.

Sleep would not keep the churning emotions away as she tossed and turned fitfully. She tried warm milk. She tried counting sheep. She tried to recall the meditations Bridge had taught her to focus on her breathing. Her blue eyes grimaced when the clock told her it wasn't time to get up yet, instead showing the ungodly hour of 2:23 am.

Her roommate was asleep so she quietly grabbed her pink comforter and book and headed to the common room, hoping that reading would calm down her restless mind.

It was there that Sky Tate found the pink ranger fast asleep during his rounds on night patrol. He smiled as he saw her still form lying uncomfortably on the couch with her arm hanging off the side and her head at an awkward angle. The smile left him when he saw the expression on her face. Gone was the peaceful countenance that usually graced her beautiful face, replaced by a mask of sadness and unmistakable pain that startled him. He wondered what she had been thinking about to cause that expression and realizing that the only way she was sleeping was because she was exhausted, otherwise he figured she would still be awake. Forcing his thoughts aside, he picked up the slight girl and carefully put her in her bed, wishing her a good rest.


	2. Tuesday

TUESDAY

It was still quiet when Sydney's eyes opened. Reluctantly she peeked at the alarm clock that was fast becoming her enemy. **6:00 am** it read in bright red numbers as if mocking her lack of sleep. With an oath, she got out of bed and decided to try one of Sky's tactics for sleeplessness. She put on her running shoes and headed outside to the track, hoping the exercise would be a jolt to her system and provide her enough energy to get through the day.

When she returned from her run, she found her mail waiting for her on the bed. She quickly scanned it for anything interesting when she noticed the familiar white envelope that was the Parents weekend invitation. Confused she picked it up wondering why it had come back to her. The truth hit her like a blow to the stomach as she saw the red letters stamped on the front, "Return to Sender". It had never been opened; her dad had simply sent it back.

Stunned, Sydney slid down to the floor still staring at the envelope. Since she had left her house, her relationship with her dad was strained at best. He still sent money every week, but that was all the communication that existed between the two. She had tried to call him, but he would screen his calls and never return her messages. Discouraged she gave up and was waiting for her father to make the effort to have a relationship. 'Why won't he forgive me?' she cried out in irritation.

She struggled with being good enough all through her adolescent years. Trying to be pretty enough, popular enough, smart enough. Nothing she did was good enough for her overprotective and distant father. By the time she was sixteen she was desperate to get out of the house. She went on line and applied to the SPD academy. If she thought her dad was upset about the brochure she had received, she was not prepared for the anger he tossed at her when she told him she was leaving.

Images flashed through her head rapidly and she was unable to stop them.

"What have you done?" Jonathan screamed at the tiny girl before him as he tried shaking her back to her senses. "How could you?" he continued shouting. He hadn't seen this betrayal coming. "I've given you everything!"

"Everything but love and acceptance. You're never here for me!" Sydney shouted back. " You didn't love her enough to make her stay and you don't love me enough so I want to leave!" A stinging pain came across her cheek as she realized horrified that it was her dad's hand that connected with her face.

Wearing long sleeve shirts to school to cover the bruises on her arms from where he had grabbed her. Lying to friends and teachers about why she had a black eye. "I fell in dance class." She lied weakly, ashamed of the truth. Her dad's anger had been out of control as he slapped her across her face. Stunned she backed away from him in fear. He was just as ashamed as he turned away from his daughter, afraid to face her. He had become even more distant then.

She remembered the day she left for SPD. He barely acknowledged her departure.

"I love you Daddy." Sixteen-year-old Sydney desperately wanted him to return her affection as he turned away from her hug.

"You've made your decision." He replied coldly. "I hope it works out for you." He declared ambiguously. She knew he had been upset with her choice, but thought he would realize it was her choice to make. She was starting to understand how angry he still was at her mother for choosing SPD over him. But she wasn't choosing SPD over him; she still wanted to have a relationship with her father. He was the one who was choosing to ignore her, to deny that she was his daughter.

Despite her lack of relationship with her father, Sydney never regretted her decision. It hadn't been easy at the Academy, but somehow she survived. And not just survive, but thrive. It wasn't until she arrived at SPD that she found that she could be good at other things as well. She had taken like a fish to water to the computer systems, engineering the complete overhaul of the security systems and helping design the SWAT gear to upgrade their arsenal. It gave her great pride and sense of purpose to be a vital part of a team, to be recognized for more than her looks. She had made great friends at the academy as well and was generally pleased about how her life had turned out.

The only downside in Sydney's life was the lack of family. The busyness of being a power ranger and technology expert kept her from dwelling on the lows too much. However, with the parent's weekend upcoming it was all she could think about. And it was driving her crazy. Every doubt and insecurity she had was at the forefront of her mind, threatening to overcome her instincts. And the mental weariness she was feeling was starting to leak into her physical strength.

She looked at the clock and realized she had spent an hour sitting on the floor obsessing over her father and the returned invitation. She didn't want Z to find her there, it would only raise more questions then they all ready had. Throwing the invitation in her journal she hurried down to the visitors center to start the rooming assignments for the weekend. It was none too soon. As soon as she turned the corner, Z was coming down the stairs hoping to find the pink ranger.

"Okay, I'll have Sky's mom in Room 212." Sydney said aloud as she assigned rooms to the incoming guests. She checked off the information on the data pad as she continued with B-squad's assignments. "Z's mom and dad and younger brother can stay in Suite 214, and Jack's parents will be across the hall in 215." She decided with a yawn. It was 3:30 in the afternoon and she had been doing rooming assignments all day. She could have chosen decorations like she'd always done, but she was in no mood to be that involved with the parents weekend. Here at least she could hide in the visitor's center from the cadets eagerly waiting for Friday to come.

'Pull it together Syd.' She chastised herself as she continued down the list. "Carson- 11 family members." She read off the RSVP sheet with a laugh. "I'll put Bridge's mom and dad in room 216, his 3 sisters in 217, his two brothers in 218, grandma and grandpa in 219, and his aunt and uncle in 220." Syd realized that Bridge had a large family, one that she had always wished for. But there had only been her and her parents until they divorced. Then it was just Syd and her dad. And now there was just her. 'Some family.' She sighed sadly.

As the years went by, Jonathan Drew spent more time at work and less time with his daughter. She often wondered what it would have been like to have siblings. A sister to confide in and go shopping with, or a brother to protect her and give her advice. The past year Z had become like a sister to her and Bridge and Jack becoming like brothers she never had. She enjoyed the closeness they shared and how they had become like a family. But with parents weekend approaching, she was reminded that they weren't really a family. Unlike her, the others all had family who were still part of their lives and coming to visit. It only reminded her of how alone she was.

"She's not missing another meal." Jack declared at Sydney's absence from dinner.

"Syd's working too hard." Sky agreed much to the amusement of Z and Bridge. He shot them a glare at their laughter. "What?" he asked roughly, putting down his hamburger to stare at his teammates.

"Don't you think its funny, you calling anyone else a workaholic?" Bridge teased his roommate. "I mean if anyone called you a workaholic, you would totally go off on them, even though they would be right. Not that they would tell you to your face…"

"Whatever." Sky replied interrupting the green ranger, though there was a small smile with his statement. "Let's go find her." The others were just as concerned, which is how the four of them went to the visitor's center to find their teammate.

It didn't take long to find her. She was about 200 yards up the hallway, but was standing stone still. "Syd?" Z called out to the girl standing in the middle of the hallway. She got no response.

"Syd!" Bridge tried louder than the yellow ranger, as they got closer to the pink ranger.

Exasperated and concerned four rangers yelled, "SYDNEY!" The tiny girl started at the loud intrusion to her solitude, the data pad dropping to the floor with a crash.

"What?" She asked equally exasperated and confused at their sudden appearance as she pushed all emotion off her face.

It's time for dinner." Sky told her as he bent down to pick up the fallen data pad. "Come on." He encouraged her shutting the door behind her.

She looked reluctant to leave her work so Jack stepped in. "that's an order." He demanded only half jokingly. Syd allowed herself to be cajoled away for dinner and had no good reason to miss movie night either. The others were quite engaged in watching "Sahara", but Syd's mind was elsewhere; despite her love of Matthew McConaughey.


	3. Wednesday

Wednesday

As Tuesday night turned into Wednesday morning, Sydney wondered how she would be able to make it to the weekend. She had been so careful not to arouse suspicion, but her lack of sleep was giving her away. She had seen the concerned looks the others sent her when they thought she wasn't looking. Sydney promised to make a bigger effort to go back to her usual cheerful self, if only to avoid questions and well meaning friends.

It would be hard to be usual cheerful self when the first item on the agenda for the day was extra training on the obstacle course. On a good day it was a struggle to get through. How on earth could she make it this time with so much on her mind and few hours of sleep?

She was not a quitter; and her pride kept her from begging out of the exercise though her mind and body begged her to.

"Z, Sky and I will go first." Jack decided thoughtfully. "Syd and Bridge you follow behind." He directed as they began the course.

Syd started strong, her body used to physical exertion from their constant training and battles, but she quickly became fatigued as the mental anguish overwhelmed her. Her body felt empty and weak as she forced her muscles to keep going, no matter how much she wanted to collapse. Breathing became a chore, as her tired body was desperate for a break.

"Come on Syd." Bridge encouraged from his perch atop the rope wall that she was staring at. She threw herself over the water pit and reached for the rope to pull herself up. Grunting she was halfway up when her arms gave way and she fell into the water. "Are you okay?" Bridge shouted as he jumped off the wall to come to her side.

Unhurt but embarrassed Sydney tried to get up but her body refused. Angry at her body for betraying her and absolutely exhausted, tears began streaming down her face.

"Come on, let's go in." The green ranger offered kindly, his hand reaching down to help her out of the pit.

"No. I have to finish." The determined girl protested even as she stumbled. Bridge was quick to catch her and pull her out of the pit.

"Syd, you're in no condition to keep going." Bridge insisted forcefully. His concern for her went from mild to severe in an instant. Whatever was bothering her was tearing her apart. Under normal circumstances, Syd was the encourager to the team and the first to offer help. As her teammate and friend, he couldn't let her go. If she couldn't see that she needed rest, he would make sure she got it. He informed Jack of his decision and led the soaking pink ranger inside.

Sydney changed into warm clothes, but refused to lie down in her room, instead working on hospitality for the weekend. She was oblivious to Bridge's watchful eye. He was tempted to read her aura, but knew she would kick his ass if he did so without her permission. Though if she got any worse he wouldn't have a choice. He would have to override her sense of privacy in order to ensure her safety.

He was relieved when she finally gave into her exhaustion. He took her folder from under her head, pulling a blanket over her sleeping form.

"What happened Bridge?" Jack asked as he entered the common room after he had finished up training exercises an hour later.

"She all but collapsed out there, falling off the rope wall." He explained to the red ranger. "It was not in her best interest for her to keep going. She might have gotten hurt." He concluded truthfully. Jack didn't miss the worried look on the green ranger's face. Truth be told there were all starting to get worried about Syd.

"You made the right decision Bridge." Jack reassured him. "I don't know what's going on with Syd right now, but she better get on track soon or… I don't know what to do." He admitted his cluelessness on how to help their teammate.

"Maybe she's having a few bad days." Z offered joining them after a nice hot shower to ease her aching muscles. Sky had followed right behind her, joining the circle of conversation.

"Maybe." Sky repeated uncertainly. It unnerved him to see Sydney so reserved. She was so always so cheerful; to see her otherwise was disturbing. Not that she didn't have the right to be upset once in a while. But he wondered what was the cause of her recent behavior? 'There must be something we don't know.' He decided uneasily.

The yellow ranger sat on her bed bored, waiting for her roommate to wake up. When she finally stirred, Z began firing questions at her sleepy friend. "Good, you're awake." Z declared happily.

"Why?" Syd asked suspiciously. Z was never that happy, let alone over her waking up. She sat up in bed, trying to alert her mind to the incoming barrage of questions. Apparently she waited too long because Z was waiting for an answer. "What?" She asked in confusion.

"Let's go shopping. I need a new outfit for the weekend." Z stated, hoping this would set a fire under Sydney. She could never turn down an opportunity to go shopping. But she was met with silence as Sydney refused to meet her eyes.

"Sorry Z." The pink ranger apologized, not feeling like going anywhere right now, not even the mall. "I just want to be alone for awhile." She replied much to the yellow rangers shock as she left the room.

Z wasn't offended, just confused. 'Maybe the boys are on to something." She mused thoughtfully. "Syd's acting really weird.' She thought about Syd's recent behavior.

"Now I know something's wrong." Z fumed interrupting the boy's card game as she stormed into the common room.

"What Z?" Jack asked amused at her dramatics as Bridge and Sky looked up curiously.

"She didn't want to go shopping." She announced in disbelief. Her comment stopped the card game in its tracks.

"I don't believe you." Sky declared doubtfully.

"She said she wanted to be alone." Z added softly.

"So what do we do?" Jack turned to the other rangers for some input on how to reach the distressed pink ranger.


	4. Thursday

Thursday

Once again Sydney woke up before the alarm clock. Instead of a half-hearted complaint, she went straight to pissed off. Cursing she threw her alarm clock and it's blaring numbers out the window. With a sigh she left the room and wished there was a hole she could climb into; because she knew there would be no hiding her emotions today. She was at the limits of her self-control and felt it slipping away and there was nothing she could do. She hated not being in control. Little did she know her day was about to get worse.

Since she had risen so early, she quickly ran out of things to do. She had already done her mandatory work out, followed by a quick trip to the shooting range, and had organized the game closet in the common room. She decided to take the walk to the post office, not expecting any mail, but trying to kill more time until breakfast. She didn't expect that the others would be up, never mind at the post office as well.

"What are you guys doing here?" She questioned surprised.

"I had to mail a letter." Z explained, "And then I ran into Bridge on the way." The yellow ranger answered.

"Cruger asked me to come check for any more RSVP's for the weekend." Jack replied.

"I think the question is what are you doing here? Shouldn't you still be sleeping?" Sky teased the pink ranger. Sydney was not known for being the first one up.

"Can't a girl check her mail without the third degree?" She remarked with an edge of anger that warned them to tread carefully as she opened her mailbox with unnecessary force.

To her surprise an envelope was waiting there. She almost never had mail except for the checks her dad sent every week. She had no contact with her mom's family since the divorce and no friends outside the academy to keep in contact with.

The others faded into the background as she curiously opened the envelope. Inside was a card, and on the front was written 'Happy Birthday'. With all the drama of the past week, she had forgotten her birthday was coming, And not just any birthday, her 18th birthday. Under normal circumstances she would have been excited, but with Parents weekend looming she kept the just realized information to herself.

'Who would be sending me a birthday card?' she wondered intrigued. As she opened it she saw the familiar script of her father and a smile came to her face. She hoped he wanted to reconcile. As she read it though, her smile faded as her blue eyes filled with tears.

When you receive this card you will be eighteen, the time in your life when you will become an adult and leave your childish ways behind. With this privilege comes responsibility. I am therefore no longer responsible for you or concerned with your decisions. This will be the last communication from me. Any attempts to contact me in the future will be rejected. Enclosed is the last check along with some birthday compensation. Best of luck in all your future endeavors.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Drew

'Sincerely. He probably sincerely meant everything he wrote.' Sydney decided sarcastically. 'Jonathan Drew. Not dad.' She reread to herself. He hadn't been a dad to her in many years, but to have it written so plainly and coldly sent Sydney over her breaking point.

Jack had observed the smile and was interested in finding out what had put it there. It seemed like more than a week had passed since she had last smiled. Before he could be nosy and ask her, he noticed the smile had been wiped away and replaced with tears that were threatening to turn into sobs.

Forcing herself out of her shock, Syd turned and ran out of the post office, not bothering to hide the tears that were coming in full force. She knew they had seen her, which is why she avoided anywhere public where they could find her.

"I'm going after her." Jack declared stubbornly. They had let Syd's behavior go the last few days, but this was too much. He couldn't stand to see her so upset. He took after the pink ranger, determined to find her before she could hide again.

As determined, as Jack was to find her, Sydney was just as determined not to be found. Jack would not give up though, using the tracking system on his morpher to trace her power signature. He was surprised to see the pink dot indicating she was in the garage, but headed there nonetheless.

He was as angry as he had ever been. Not so much at her, but at whatever was obviously disturbing her. He wasn't letting her go until he had some answers. His anger quickly calmed when he saw her hunched over in the driver seat of the jeep. "Syd?" he called gently, warning her so she wouldn't be frightened.

She didn't look at him, didn't acknowledge he was there. Nor she did the sobbing subside. Without a second thought, he climbed into the passenger side of the jeep and pulled the sobbing girl into his arms. They sat there for a few minutes, Jack waiting for her to calm down.

Before he could get an answer though, Kat's voice interrupted over the intercom. "B-Squad to the command center."

He wanted to swear at the bad timing. "Are you going to be okay?" He asked the girl who was entangled in his arms. "I can cover for you with Cruger if you want." He offered kindly.

"I'll be fine." Syd answered. "As always." She said softly as she grudgingly left Jack's arms and headed to the command center.

The two-minute walk gave Syd enough time to compose herself and wipe the tears out of her eyes, though there was no time to conceal her red puffy eyes, swollen from crying. Jack gave the others a regretful look behind Syd's back as hope faded from their eyes. But their determination grew to find out what was bothering Syd before the day was over.

"Where are we on preparations for Parent's weekend?" Commander Cruger asked to begin debriefing as the five rangers stood before him.

"Decorations are all set sir. They will be hung tomorrow after lunch in anticipation for the arrival of our guests." Elizabeth Delgado reported.

"Excellent. And the food?" He queried as he turned to the blue and green rangers.

"The advanced orders of food have arrived in the kitchen last night." Sky informed the Commander.

"The caterer will be here Saturday at 4 pm to set up for the big extravaganza." Bridge added. "Cocktails will be served at 6pm and dinner will begin promptly at 8pm."

"I am pleased with how smoothly everything is going." Cruger complimented the team, before turning to Sydney. " Cadet Drew, you have done an outstanding job with the hospitality assignment. I never knew you were so organized."

"Thank you sir." She replied subdued.

"However, I noticed there was no response from your family. Are they coming?" Doggie asked the pink ranger curiously.

Syd felt like she couldn't breathe as everyone stared at her waiting for her response. She wanted to lie desperately, but she knew she couldn't avoid the truth either. Eventually they would all find out that they weren't coming, that her whole family was a farce.

"No they're not." She whispered without looking up. Silence filled the command center. No one knew what to say. The others wanted to comfort her but they didn't know how.

"Please excuse me." She stated as the tears welled up in her blue eyes. Syd turned away from their watchful eyes and retreated to her room.

"It must have been hard for her knowing they weren't' coming and having to hear everyone else go on and on about their families." Z opined sadly.

"I wonder how long she's known?" Bridge asked.

"Maybe it was in the letter she got this morning. It really upset her terribly." Jack mentioned.

"Is there anything we can do?" Sky wondered of his teammates. He hated being so helpless. He always liked to fix things, and he had no idea of how to help his hurting teammate.

"You need to eat." Jack demanded as they barged into the girl's room, determined to bust Syd out of her solitude. She looked up at her teammates and Z was afraid she would refuse. Outnumbered Sydney nodded as Bridge and Sky each grabbed a hand and pulled her out of her cocoon.

Aware of her condition, they steered away from the public dining room for something more intimate. The formal ranger dining room, which was always available, they just chose not to isolate themselves from the rest of SPD. But Jack knew Syd would not be able to handle all the scrutiny so they found themselves being waited upon. Usually they would enjoy such service, but this time was out of necessity.

Sydney didn't know what she ordered, but it didn't matter. She wasn't hungry, though she ate some food to appease her teammates.

"I didn't know you liked spinach Syd." Bridge pointed to the green mash of vegetables on her plate that she was pushing around.

"Huh?" She started at his observation, as she struggled to rejoin the conversation around her, even as she knew they were about her.

"Spinach." Z repeated with a giggle. The pink ranger glanced down at her green covered plate. The disgusted look on her face as she realized what she had been eating made the others laugh. Syd pushed the plate away but it was replaced by a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (without the crust) offered to her by Sky.

"Thanks." She murmured as she gratefully bit into the sandwich and gobbled it up.

"I'm sorry your parents can't come this weekend Syd." Z offered in apology, hoping to get the pink ranger to open up.

"I'm not." Came the unexpected response. "It's not that they can't come, they just won't." She finished simply with no emotion. Seeing as they would get no more answers from her now, they allowed her to retreat once again.

The other rangers found themselves busily engaged in other activities all afternoon as the final preparations were being finished for the weekend.

"There's more to her story than she's saying." Bridge confided to Z as they supervised the cadets outside who were cleaning the lawn of SPD.

"You think?" The yellow ranger replied sarcastically.

"You think she's going to be okay?" Sky asked seriously as he helped Jack rearrange the weekend schedules.

"If she would open up and let us help her she will be." The red ranger admitted cautiously. "If she keeps it all to herself eventually she's going to explode." He warned Sky.

"I never knew there was something this serious in her past." Sky admitted regretfully.

"None of us did." Jack agreed. "Syd's much better at keeping secrets than we thought." He said ruefully.

Bridge left Z soon after their job was done, intent on confronting Sydney. If she refused to tell him the truth he was going to read her aura, regardless of the consequences. It hurt him so badly to see hurting so badly. He didn't have to look far to find the pink ranger.

Sydney was standing in the common room ignorant of the fact of what was about to happen. "Syd?" Bridge called as he entered the room. She turned to face her best friend and dreaded the question she knew he would ask.

"What's going on?" He asked her gently. "You can't keep it all inside you know. We all want to help you, please tell me what's bothering you." He pleaded with her to answer.

Syd attempted to regain control by putting up her stonewall. Unrepentant, Bridge moved to take off his glove without her noticing. Despite the fog she was in, Syd was not completely unaware.

"Thaddeus Bridge Carson!" shrieked the pink ranger. "If you take off the glove, you're going to eat it!" Sydney threatened and Jack thought her angry enough to do it. Her response confirmed their worst suspicions that there was more she was still hiding from them as the others braced for the necessary confrontation.

"Thaddeus?" Z chuckled even as Jack's hand closed over her mouth to keep her quiet. Not that Syd or Bridge would hear them over their shouting.

"I wouldn't have to if you'd just tell me what's wrong, Sydney Adrianna Drew!" He shouted back.

"Adrianna?" Sky repeated intrigued. He was desperate to recall all the stories his dad had told him about his teammates. There was the green ranger Sebastian, Markus Tate's closest ally; the quiet yet brilliant Lana Stone, the yellow ranger. Second in command Thomas Kirk, the legendary swordsmen and the beautiful and adventurous pink ranger Adrianna.

'It couldn't be coincidence that Syd's middle name was Adrianna could it? Those thoughts ran through his mind as he was determined to find the answer to that question. However the next argument between the current pink and green rangers made him stand stone still.

Bridge moved closer, oblivious to the fearful shaking of his teammate. He so wanted to shake her out of her depression so he grabbed her shoulders to force her to look at him.

Sydney pulled away with a quiet, "Don't hit me." Her eyes were wide in fright, her skin pale as she tried to compose herself. Her words echoed through the stillness as they stood there in complete shock.

Bridge was the first one to speak. "What?" he said in disbelief. The other rangers had heard her statement and entered the room for support.

"Sydney I never would…" Bridge offered, shaking himself at her stunning admission.

"I know you wouldn't." Syd stated rationally, trying to aleve his fears. "That's what my dad said too." Sydney admitted tearfully.

"He hit you?" Sky asked for clarification as he made his way to the distraught girl.

"Just once." Syd replied shyly. "The day I told him I was joining SPD." She finally broke down and confided in her teammates and friends. Sky controlled his anger for Syd's sake. 'How could anyone hit her?' He thought miserably. 'Especially her own father?'

"He didn't want you to join?" Z asked curiously. "It's not like you're were joining a cult." She said with sarcasm and skepticism.

"SPD was like a cult to him." Sydney disagreed mightily. "He was afraid I would be like my mom." Sydney revealed as Sky led her to a couch, afraid she might collapse any moment.

"Was she the original pink ranger?" Sky wondered. "I remember my dad talking about a ranger named Adrianna." He commented.

"I don't know." She acknowledged unhappily. "You probably know more about her than me." Syd said remorsefully.

"But she's your mom." Bridge protested.

"And she left when I was eight." Syd returned with a sigh. "Dad refused to talk about her. He resented her for all the time she spent at SPD."

"So she left?" Jack questioned his "little" sister.

"No. He made her leave. He told her not to come back after work, that we didn't need her." She repeated the words her dad had uttered to her mom years earlier.

"I'm so sorry Sydney." Jack offered as he embraced the girl he had come to accept as another adopted sister. She said nothing, just allowed him to hold her.

Sky regretted all those times he had gone on and on about his father, and Syd had never complained, always offering him a listening ear. He was just as determined to return the favor. He was stunned at how despite all the pain in her life she was as strong and amazing as she was.

"You must have your mom's genes." Sky whispered in her ear as he took his turn to hold her. "My dad thought so highly of your mom, and I think you're amazing too." She offered him a small smile of appreciation before Z jumped in to hug her roommate. Sydney maintained her composure through all of the hugging until she faced Bridge.

Syd buried her head in the green ranger's uniform as she started sobbing. He just held her tightly, relieved for her sake, that she wasn't keeping it in any longer. Though he knew now that it was all revealed she would have to deal with it. As her best friend, he risked their friendship and had pushed her beyond what she wanted to do, because he had known that she needed to explain everything. She could never forget what he did for her. "Thank you." She murmured gratefully.

"Thank you." He insisted, "for trusting us enough to tell us." He declared looking down into her blue eyes.


	5. Friday

Friday

Syd fell into bed exhausted, hoping finally to get some well-needed sleep. However with the opening of old wounds, came the haunting of old memories.

_"She doesn't love us. She doesn't need us." Her dad's voice reminded her over and over again any time she asked about her mother_.

_"Why did you leave me? Why don't you love me?" her eight-year-old voice called out at night, a lonely girl longing for her mother. Sydney cried herself to sleep many nights in her young life, starving for the love of a missing mom, and the attention of a distant father._

She tossed and turned, as a vague memory came to mind that she must have blocked before because it was not one of her usual dreams.

_"I hereby give full custody of the girl, Sydney Adrianna Drew to her father Jonathan Drew. The mother Adrianna Drew is not permitted visitation at this time." The judge gave his ruling; the sound of his gavel banging gave a sense of finality to the little girl whose heart was breaking._

_Sydney tore away from her aunt (her dad's sister) and ran towards her mother. She was stopped by one of the police officers. "MOMMY! Come back!" she screamed as she was forced to watch her mom be escorted out of the courthouse._

_Syd kept screaming, hoping her mother would come back for her. How could the judge just take her away?_

"MOM! Come back!" 18-year-old Sydney screamed as she thrashed about in bed. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she was entrenched in a nightmare that was all too real.

"Syd, wake up." Z said worried, pushing on her shoulder in an attempt to stir her. But Syd twisted away from the yellow ranger, the momentum throwing her off her bed. The pink ranger landed on the floor with a sickening thud just as the boys came to check out all the commotion.

"Syd!" Sky shouted, as she lay crumpled on the floor. He quickly checked for a pulse and was relieved to find one. He forced his heart to keep beating as he realized she was still breathing. However she was still unconscious.

"What happened?" Jack asked as the blue ranger lifted the petite girl off the floor and held her close to comfort her even though she didn't know he was there. Sky paid no attention to the conversation around him; he just gazed at the broken girl in his arms.

"She had a nightmare." Z whispered, still scared at the sight of Syd flying off the bed and her failed attempts to wake her. "She wouldn't wake up." She said tearfully.

"Shh. She'll be okay." The red ranger reassured her as he gathered her close for a hug. "Let's get Syd to the infirmary and have Dr. Manx check her out." He declared with concern.

"She's completely exhausted." Was Dr. Manx's diagnosis. "Physically, mentally, emotionally. She's just overwhelmed." She explained to the troubled rangers. The four were gathered around Sydney's bed as she lay peacefully, thanks to the sedative Kat had given her.

"What about the nightmares?" Bridge wondered curiously.

"Hopefully the sedative I gave her was strong enough to keep her in a deep sleep so she can sleep fully." Kat said optimistically.

None of them were eager to leave their teammates side, but Sky made the decision for them. "Guys, go get some rest. I'm staying here with Syd." He declared firmly. They all nodded and left the blue ranger to keep watch over the pink ranger.

12 hours later Sydney's eyes fluttered open. 'Where am I?' she thought confused as she took in the unfamiliar surroundings. White walls replaced her pink one, and technical equipment replaced her stereo and television. As she went to rub her eyes to see if it was another of her dreams, she noticed that her right hand was weighed down. A large warm hand covered hers and a smile came to her face as she noticed the face of its owner.

Feeling rested, she reluctantly slipped her tiny hand out of his so she could stretch. The slight movement woke the blue ranger. "Hey." Syd spoke softly as his eyes opened suddenly.

"How are you?" he asked kindly as he sat up in the chair. "Awake." Was the best she could offer. She wasn't too sure how she felt.

"I can see that." He replied with a chuckle. "You scared us last night." He offered shyly.

"What happened?" Syd inquired worried. Sky brushed a stray curl out of her face as he explained softly, "you had a nightmare and fell out of bed."

Syd grimaced at his description. "Sorry." She murmured apologetically, noticing he hadn't moved his hand and it was now softly stroking her hair.

"Don't be." He reprimanded her. "It's not your fault." He promised her.

"Lunch time." Jack's cheerful voice interrupted the moment as he pushed in the lunch cart followed by Z and Bridge.

The yellow ranger raised her eyebrow to Bridge as they took in the affectionate scene they had just barged in on. Sky reluctantly, yet quickly moved his hand away from Syd to accommodate the lunch cart.

"You better be hungry." Z mock threatened her roommate. To her surprise, Sydney found herself with a voracious appetite, as plates of food were uncovered.

After lunch the others had to finish their arrangements for the incoming visitors, leaving Syd alone to her thoughts. Kat had released her from the infirmary with a promise to come back if she still had trouble sleeping. As a ranger she would need her energy for upcoming battles.

She returned to her room and found the letter from her father. Carefully she placed the harsh words aside instead settling for the check. Sydney knelt on the floor and pulled out a box from under her bed. She put the check in the box where she had kept all her other checks from her father. Contrary to rumor, Sydney wasn't as careless with her money as others would think. She had been saving up for the day she could gain her independence from her dad.

Today, her eighteenth birthday that day had finally come. With all the furious preparations going around her, it was easy to slip away unnoticed. Despite all her confessions of last night, Sydney still had her pride. She tucked her box of savings under her arm and headed to the garage.

She was so focused on her destination that she neglected to pay attention to her current surroundings. As she turned a corner she ran into a hard wall of strength; both her and her box tumbling to the floor. Gasping for breath, Syd desperately tried to gather up her papers before he could see what they were.

"Syd?" Jack asked quietly as he held a check out to her inquiringly. She gently pulled it out of his hand and placed it with the others back in her box. Syd put the lid on tight, but made no attempt to move away. Jack hesitated to speak, instead choosing to wait for her to initiate the conversation. He didn't want to frighten her away.

"I've been saving these since I started at the academy." She disclosed with just a bit of shame. "I always planned to move out when I was old enough." "I wanted to be able to take care of myself." She said more confidently, as if daring Jack to challenge her statement.

"Why today?" the red ranger wondered curiously, as he tried to put all the pieces together of the mystery that was the pink ranger.

"It's my eighteenth birthday." Came the soft declaration. "Happy Birthday Syd." Jack acknowledged with a smile, honored that she would tell him about her secret. Even if he had to have knocked her down to do it.

She brushed off his greeting nonchalantly. "It's just a day." She disagreed hurting even as she said it.

"Eighteen is such a milestone." Jack persisted nonetheless.

"So is ten, and thirteen, and sixteen." Sydney argued bitterly. "No one cared then, and no one cares now." She said angrily, finally picking up her box and storming away. Jack wouldn't just let her go so he followed her.

In her anger she didn't notice when he beat her to the jeep. "Let me." He demanded quietly, holding out his hand for the keys. She was in no condition to drive. Not after today. Not after the week she had. He was relieved that she gave him the keys without question. He wasn't in the mood to wrestle them out of her hands. Given her emotional state, he knew there could have been some fierce swings on her part.

"We care you know." Jack broke the solemn silence. Syd nodded that she understood as she stared out the window watching the scenery go by.

"But you didn't mean us earlier did you?" Jack clarified with great sensitivity. He sighed when she didn't answer; but the tear that escaped down her cheek didn't go unnoticed. As much as Syd had shared with them, he realized he didn't truly understand the complexity of her situation or the depth of her suffering.

"You'll never be alone Syd." Jack reassured her. "You'll always have us." The red ranger reminded her truthfully.

"Where you've guys been?" Bridge asked as soon as they reentered the compound. "We've been looking for you everywhere." He continued on hurried. "Everyone's coming in a hour, and Cruger is driving us all crazy with his last minute commands." The green ranger attacked verbally before they even knew what hit them.

"Chill." Sky mockingly rebuked his roommate, sensing that Jack and Syd were in no mood for his verbiage. The pink ranger was frozen in the doorway, as if the effort to move was too much for her. Jack remained glued to her side, protective of the fragile girl next to him.

"Stay?" Z offered hopefully as the four rangers tried to persuade the distressed girl into the opening festivities.

"Today's just another reminder that my family is one big farce. NO matter how much you guys love me and I love you, it isn't the same." Syd said sadly leaving the group behind.

Z let out a defeated sigh as she watched her roommate slowly leave the room. "She needs more time." Jack confided in the group. "It's too much, too soon. Let her have her space." He commanded them, turning to go to his room to get ready for Parent's weekend.

"What do you know?" The blue ranger demanded angrily as he entered Jack's room right behind the red ranger. Jack expected this reaction, but what he didn't know was what to say to relieve the anxiety on Sky's part. He had guessed for awhile that he had stronger feelings for their teammate, but this whole dramatic saga had bought out the protective side of Sky they had never seen before.

Jack noticed the tense but worried look on his face and realized how deeply the blue ranger cared for Syd. He was just confused on what to do and how to help her. "I know that she's missing the family that she deserved but never had."

As the silence grew, Jack continued. "Everyone thinks she's a princess, but they have no idea. She's alone Sky. SPD is all that she has." Jack shared with him what Syd had told him earlier.


	6. Friday night

Friday night

Well here is Chapter 5. Thanks for your patience with my writer's block. I hope to finish this story soon because I've got others dying to come out. Keep on Reading and Reviewing! Thanks to all who take the time to encourage me in my writing.

Kangababie- Thanks for your great support and ideas!

Disclaimer: Not mine. 

Sky didn't know what to do with the information Jack had just given him. He wanted to go to Syd and tell her that everything would be okay, but he knew that wasn't a promise he could give. How could he understand what it was like to lose both your parents? He was a loner by his own choice; but Syd was alone because of someone else's choice. Suddenly the upcoming weekend was losing its appeal without Syd to share it with.

She was always the first one to cheer him up, to get him out of his room and solitude. Now she was the one choosing to be alone, albeit for good reasons, but he had no idea how to help her. And it bothered him. It bothered him because she was his closest friend and ally on the team. She was the one he went to when he had a problem or needed to vent. Sky felt like he was watching her slip away.

"All cadets please report to the welcome center." Kat Manx's voice interrupted his thoughts. With an oath, the blue ranger quickly changed into civilian gear and went to meet his mom and the other ranger's families.

"This is Z Delgado, Jack Landors, and Sky Tate." Bridge introduced his teammates to his clan of family members who had descended upon SPD. Sky laughed at the loud rambling that surrounded the green ranger.

"I thought there were five of you." Sky's mom observed when the introductions were finished.

"Syd's not feeling well." Sky lied uncomfortably.

"Adrianna's daughter right?" Mrs. Tate inquired of the missing pink ranger. "Your father spoke highly of her. I would love to meet her daughter." She said to her son.

"Maybe tomorrow." Sky conceded hopefully. "Who's hungry?" Bridge diverted the attention from the absent Sydney as he herded his entourage towards the dining hall. Jack, Z, and Sky quickly followed the green ranger's lead.

She had spent the afternoon hiding in her room, trying to lose herself in one of her favorite magazines. She had her music turned up loud, but nothing could distract her from her thoughts

Sydney ordered out from the dining hall, one of the perks of being a power ranger. Despite her sadness and desire to fade away, she was more so determined to continue on the path she had chosen. She had lost everything once she joined SPD and she would not give up her new life for anything.

'Happy Birthday to me.' She whispered sadly as she blew out the candle on her cupcake covered in pink frosting.

Sydney desperately wanted to sleep the rest of the night, the rest of the weekend away. But she knew what she would face if she tried to sleep. Memories of her past, memories of a mother she barely knew, and memories of a father who wanted to forget her.

'Maybe I can get some more sleeping meds from Kat.' Syd thought hopefully, deciding to head towards the infirmary for some relief. She opened the door and was surprised to find a package with her name on it. Only Jack knew it was her birthday, though she suspected he probably told the others. 'But their families are here, they're too busy.' She decided, completely clueless to the identity of the owner of her gift.

Intrigued, she opened the package and found a disc. It was against regulations to have a TV in a cadet's room so Sydney found herself wondering to the movie room at the other end of the base. Luckily the halls were empty as everyone else was engaged in the parent's weekend activities that no one noticed her weary appearance. Syd walked slowly through the halls, the usual bounce in her step gone. Her blonde hair was piled on top of her head and she was encased in soft gray sweats and pink tank top.

With Peanuts in one hand Sydney shoved her disc in the DVD player and settled in on a couch wondering what could be on the video.

She was taken aback when the images flashed on the screen. They had been taken long ago, but there was Commander Cruger and Kat and the ever-familiar command center. A tall striking man in red came in and Syd recognized him only as Marcus Tate. The family resemblance was too remarkable to be anyone but Sky's dad. She watched in awe as the other rangers filed in.

A tiny woman with blonde curls was the last to arrive. Syd felt her breath catch as she saw her mother appear on the screen. But what shocked her most of all was when the camera panned down and there she was. Big blue eyes opened wide as she took in her surroundings. Blonde hair pulled into neat pigtails as the girl wore pink overalls just like her mom. Syd must have been 5 years old at the time, and she felt her eyes well up with tears as she remembered how much she looked like her mother.

"No wonder Dad resented me." Syd murmured to herself, captivated by the movie. Syd felt her mood sink into depression again as she remembered the void that existed between her and her father. She couldn't shake the guilt that plagued her. She felt like it was all her fault.

Sydney laughed out loud next though when a little boy came through the doors. He was dressed in a SPD uniform just like his dad. He was as neat then as he was now, Syd decided as she saw a seven-year-old Sky. She giggled as she saw the look on his face when his father told him to keep her company. 'Just like the first day of training.' Syd recalled the same look of exasperation.

"_I'm Sky." The little boy declared seriously as he put out his hand to introduce himself. "My names Sydney." The little girl replied with a small smile, trying not to be intimidated by the boy. Sky must have noticed because he immediately tried to ease her discomfort by being kind._

"_Isn't this place cool?" Sky declared as he showed her some of the cool gadgets his dad often brought home. "Sure." Sydney replied softly as she tried to imagine her mom working here everyday._

"_Someday I'm going to be the red ranger just like my dad." Sky boasted proudly. "How about you? Are you going to be a power ranger too?" He asked eagerly._

"_I could never leave my daddy." Sydney shook her head at the absurdity of her being a power ranger. _

"It is my fault my mom left." Syd decided horrified. "She knew I would never leave my dad so she left without me."

"She doesn't love me. Syd whispered sadly. "No body does." The reality of her situation hit her like a ton of bricks as she turned off the TV. Now she would gladly take some of Kat's sleeping pills. She just wanted to forget everything. Anything to make the pain go away.

All night Sky's mind was not on the people that surrounded him, but on the person who was absent. It had only been 24 hours ago that Syd had broken down and poured out her heart to him and the others. However much he wanted to go to her, Jack had encouraged him to give her some space. The last thing she needed was for them all to suffocate her with their well-meaning intentions. But he couldn't ignore the nagging feeling in his head that she shouldn't be alone. He didn't believe for one minute that Syd would do something to hurt herself, but he wouldn't have any peace till he saw her for himself.

Sky excused himself from the table not that anyone really noticed his absence. Bridge's grandfather was just as entertaining as the green ranger himself. He was also glad he didn't have to explain his disappearance to his mother who would surely want to know what he felt for the pink ranger.

Truth be told he didn't know himself what he felt for Sydney. They had been friends from the moment she arrived at SPD, despite all his efforts to distance himself from her, it was like they had always known each other. Even he couldn't deny the strange connection they had, Syd could reach him like no one else ever had; and in return he would always be there to protect her.

_He remembered the moment he vowed to protect her. She had spent hours in the rain digging for the green ooze RIC had detected while the others had gone inside and given up on the aging canine. Unknownst to them, Syd had found the ooze, but unfortunately so had Grumm's monster the Rhino. The petite girl was no match for the monster and her morpher had cracked before she could morph or even call for help. She would have been left for dead if RIC hadn't heard her screams. The loyal dog had hurried to the pink ranger's aid as the other rangers had followed quickly behind in a panic. _

_He himself had found her cracked morpher in a puddle, the device now completely useless. "She couldn't call for help." He had remarked in shock to the others, never more grateful for that old dog than that moment. It was then he decided to stick close to her side, whether she knew it or not, whether she wanted it or not; she was stuck with him._

"Syd?" Sky called through the closed door of the girls' room. "Sydney?" he tried again when he got no response. He assumed she wasn't in because he wasn't about to barge in without good cause. If he didn't find her anywhere else, then maybe he would kick down the door.

He was on his way to the command center, when he realized with a laugh that that's where he would head when he had things on his mind, but not Sydney. If he wanted to find her, he would have to think like the pink ranger. However his attempts were in vain as he tried without success to find her in the gym, the common room, hell he even tried the girls bathroom. Sky was headed back to Syd and Z's room when he noticed a small blonde slumped on the floor of the infirmary.

"Syd!" he shouted anxiously as he hurried to her side. Before he woke her, he noticed with tremendous relief that she was only asleep not unconscious. Sighing he collapsed on the floor next to the sleeping princess and sat there watching over her protectively as he always had.

He took the rare opportunity of her stillness just to gaze at the face he knew so well. However, it was under her skin that he didn't know so well and he wondered how she could have held it in for so long.

Syd's beloved Peanuts was crushed under one arm as she used the stuffed elephant as a pillow. Strands of unruly hair had come untucked from her careless bun to rest on her flawless skin. Flawless skin that no longer hid the signs of sleepless nights; the dark circles under her eyes, the frown that creased her lips as never before.

She looked exhausted and Sky knew she needed a good night's rest so with great care he lifted Syd into his arms and carefully arranged her into the patient bed. She barely moved, only to adjust Peanuts as he laid the blanket over her body. Satisfied that she was comfortable Sky was yet reluctant to leave. For the second night in a row he settled into the chair next to her bed content to watch her until he fell asleep.


	7. Saturday

Saturday

When Sydney awoke she experienced a feeling of déjà vu. For the second night in row she had woken up to see a sleeping Sky by her side. She smiled softly at the peaceful blue ranger before she pushed the covers off the bed and left before he could ask any questions.

She was horrified when she took in her appearance in the bathroom mirror. 'No wonder everyone's worried.' She noted with disgust as she saw the dark circles under her eyes and the missing sparkle that usually shone in her aqua blue eyes.

She felt so alone. She wanted to see her friends and meet their families but she felt like an outsider. She missed her late night talks with Z as she had been spending the last few nights in the infirmary or falling asleep before the yellow ranger returned to the room.

She missed playing light ball with Jack and laughing with Bridge. The only person she felt connected to was Sky. Syd wondered if it was because he knew what it was like to lose someone and she appreciated his efforts. Without realizing it Syd found herself wondering back to the movie room to finish the video she hadn't been able to finish the night earlier. Maybe it would give her some clues about her mother.

That was where her teammates found her when all other attempts at locating her failed. Sky had finally used the tracking system on his communicator to track her down. He hadn't wanted to intrude on her solitude but they were all downright worried about their pink ranger.

Jack opened the door to the little used room and there she was, curled up on the couch sobbing into her stuffed elephant. Before they could reach her they noticed what was playing on the TV.

Z gasped as she recognized the young girl on the screen. "Syd." She whispered in surprise. Bridge and Jack were equally shocked, but Sky had vague memories of the event-taking place on screen. The doctor had been running general tests on him and Syd but he couldn't remember why.

"Hold still Sydney." The blonde haired woman tried to calm down the anxious 5 year old. "Don't let them hurt me." She whimpered scared at the sight of the doctor that stood before her.

"_It will be ok Syd." The brown haired boy sitting next to her promised confidently even as he reached over to hold her hand. Behind him stood the legendary Marcus Tate who looked on with pride at his seven-year-old son. She seemed to calm down at his statement much to the relief of the woman next to her._

_Just then the alarms began blaring through out SPD. "Mommy, don't go!" Sydney cried out hysterically. The woman looked at her sympathetically. "I have to sweetie, it's my job." She apologized softly._

"_Let's go Adrianna. The others are waiting." The red ranger ordered firmly, pulling the pink ranger out of the room. _

"_Sky, look after Syd will you?" Marcus commanded from where he stood at the door. "Yes sir." Sky agreed easily, looking at the young girl who was the closest friend he had. _

Sky remembered his childhood days. While he enjoyed spending time with his dad, most days he was left alone to play on the base except for the days that Sydney came. He always hoped that she would come and keep him company because days went faster and were more fun with someone to share them with. 'That is still true today.' He thought remarkably, glad that Syd was still by his side even all these years later.

Marcus Tate's funeral 

_It had been 9 years since he had seen her, but he was glad she came. The pretty little girl had grown into a beautiful teen. In the midst of his grief he couldn't take his eyes off of her. Her blonde curls were pulled back in a sedate bun but it did nothing to take away from her beauty. Blue eyes shining with tears as she stood by herself at the gravesite. He wondered why she was alone before tearing his gaze away from his old friend to pay attention to the minister. The rest of the service was a blur. Kisses and sympathy by friends and family, formal condolences from the SPD brass. Sky couldn't wait for it to be over. _

"_Go on." Amanda Tate whispered to her son, noticing the looks he was giving the blonde haired girl. Even nine years later, she recognized her as her son's long lost playmate. Her usually reserved son was always happier and carefree when he was with Sydney. She was all he talked about whenever they played together at SPD._

"_Sydney." He spoke her name, startling the younger girl. She looked up at the boy she hadn't seen in years and without missing a beat, threw her arms around the surprised boy in her usual carefree manner._

"_I'm so sorry Sky." She whispered as she held him close. Her soft words broke down the last of Sky's walls as he allowed himself to cry freely. She held him quietly as he mourned the death of his father, his hero. _

_That had been the last time he saw her until she arrived at the SPD academy._

Day one of cadet training and Sky stretched to ease the tension he felt as he waited for the initial tests to begin. He looked around the field of young men and women like him who wanted to serve Space Patrol Delta.

Jack giggled at the look of adoration that crossed the girl's face as she turned to look at her protector. Z thought it sweet that even then Sky had been by Syd's side. She looked at him now and saw a different look cross his face when he gazed at the blonde girl. He had left their side to kneel in front of the sobbing Syd. He whispered softly trying to get her to calm down as he brushed the curly hair out of her face.

"He loves her." Bridge whispered knowingly to the yellow and red rangers as they watched Sky carry Syd away back to her room.

"You must know where she went." Sky questioned the commander hopefully.

"Adrianna left suddenly after your father's funeral." Cruger answered the blue ranger's question.

"We didn't even know she was gone until Lana found her communicator the next morning on her bed." Kat filled in quietly.

"Is there anyway to find her?" Sky asked in frustration as he and Jack met up with Kat and Cruger.

"Why wouldn't her mom want to see her own daughter?" Added Jack angrily as he paced inside the command center.

"It's not that simple." Cruger sighed. "You see Syd's dad did resent Adrianna for all the time she spent here at SPD. I'll never forget how different she was after the divorce; it was like the life had been drained from her. She never talked about it, not to any of us."

"There must be something we can do." Jack said worried. "I can't watch her like this. It's tearing her apart. She's all alone." He rubbed his hands over his face, the burden of being the leader weighing heavily on him.

"I remember how attached Syd was to her dad, how could he turn his back on her like that?" Sky wondered in shock and concern, remembering what Jack had told him on Thursday.

"He was afraid she would become like her mom. And she did, only because he pushed her to do so." Kat said thoughtfully. "I'm not saying Adrianna wasn't to blame too, but he never accepted her for who she was. He was always trying to change her, giving her grief about time spent at SPD."

"But Sydney has all of you to care for her." Cruger reminded them, contradicting Jack's statement that she was all alone.

Syd was alone when she woke up in her room a few hours later. Instead of sadness about being alone during family weekend, she was filled with a different emotion: anger. Angry that her mother had left her, angry that her dad was disinterested and disowned her. But Sydney Drew was not one to be angry for long. Determined to at least make an appearance during the weekend, she showered and dressed and headed to the ballroom where the cadets and their families were gathered.

She had second thoughts as she stood in the doorway listening to the sounds of laughter that emanated from the large room. Before she could change her mind, Sky was there to greet her and ease her nerves.

"I'm glad you came Syd." He whispered as he gently put her hand on his arm and escorted her to the private room that Cruger had reserved for B-Squad and their families. "You are the most beautiful girl here tonight." He offered almost shyly, but truthfully. Syd had chosen her favorite strapless light pink gown and opted to leave her curls loose, making her appear vulnerable and sweet.

"I almost didn't come." She admitted quietly as they made their way through the throngs of cadets in the main dining room.

"I know." Sky said aware of her sadness. "I'm glad you did though, I know it wasn't easy." He complimented her for her bravery.

"Syd!" Z called out in surprise and happiness as the pink ranger appeared on the blue ranger's arm. She rushed to hug her roommate and introduce her around. Syd was immediately overwhelmed, but in a good way by Bridge's family. They made her feel at ease and had her laughing in no time. It didn't take long for Syd to feel welcome despite the fact that she was alone. But she realized she wasn't alone, she had her teammates who were always there for her every day, and for the first time that weekend she didn't dwell on the past, but was grateful for the present. She surprised Z and everyone else when she fell into easy conversation with her parents, speaking Portuguese with an ease that rivaled Z's skills.

"Syd?" Jack said in awe as he listened to her. "I didn't know you spoke Portuguese." He declared amazed.

"How come you never told me?" Z demanded in mock anger. "Never came up." She retorted quickly, escaping the yellow ranger's inquisition.

"Never came up." Jack mumbled in disbelief. "Any other languages you can speak?" He asked jokingly.

"Just French, Italian, Spanish and Romanian." She declared non-chalantly as she made her way to meet Jack's parents.

"We've heard so much about you." Mrs. Landors said as she greeted the girl who had become like a younger sister to her son. "Jack speaks very highly of you." She reported honestly. Syd grinned up at the red ranger that she had become close to in the last few months.

"Jack's not bad himself." She teased affectionately. Jack didn't care that she was teasing him; it was good to have the old Syd back. It had literally torn him apart to see her fall apart this past week. The worst part was that there was nothing he could do to help her.

Amanda Tate was impressed with the composure the pink ranger showed while interacting with her teammates and their families. Sky had told her some things about his old friend, but he never did mention he was in love with her, she thought with a smile. She watched her son as he watched the pink ranger with concern, tenderness and love. She thought the two made quite an attractive pair, and she knew that Sydney was a good match for her strong-willed and stoic son. On the other hand, she knew that the protective side of Sky came out whenever Syd was mentioned. He would do anything for her.

No one wanted the night to end because it meant that tomorrow they would have to say goodbye and there was no guarantee when they would see each other again. While the others retired to the common room, Syd begged off because of exhaustion. Sky didn't even hesitate to walk her back to her room.

"Are you okay?" He asked concerned as they reached her door. "I'm fine Sky." She said even as she yawned. He was reluctant to leave her but she made him go. "Go." Syd commanded sweetly as she opened the door.

"Good night Syd." He returned quietly as he watched the door close. As the door shut between them, Syd noticed a large box on her bed. Curious, she went to open it, not recognizing the return address on the box. She cheerfully ripped off the brown wrapping paper to find a pink box and carefully lifted off the lid. Inside was numerous bunches of letters all numbered carefully in chronological order. Syd turned the overhead lights off and got into her pajamas before opening envelope number 1.

A cliff hangar! Stay tuned for the sequel, Letters to Sydney. Please Review! Thanks.


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